Machine for lasting boots and shoes



R. F. McFEELY, DECD.

E. M. SULLIVAN. ADMINISTRATOR.

MACHINE FOR LASTING BOOTS AND SHOES.

' APPLICAHON man JAN. 2a. 1918. 1,356,540. Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

UNITED STATES v PATENT OFFICE.

RONALD F. MQFEELY, DECEASED, DATE OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, BY MARK SULLIVAN, ADMINISTRATOR, 015 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR LASTING BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

Application filed January 28,- 1918. Serial 110. 214,163.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that RONALD F. MCFEELY, deceased, late of Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, invented certain Improvements in Machines for Lasting Boots and Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specificatiomlike reference characters on the drawings indicatmg like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to machines for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes and is herein shown as embodied in a lasting machine of the type in which successive portions of a'shoe upper are worked into lasted position. For convenience in illustrating the invention, it is herein shown as embodied in a machine especially adapted to operate upon shoes of the type in which the shoe upper is worked into lasted position on the shoe bottom and secured by the use of cement applied in any suitable manner such as practised, for example, in the manufacture of vulcanized-rubber sole shoes.

An important feature of the invention'is to be recognized in novel means for working an upper toward lasted position by means of frictional engagement with the upper. As herein shown, this means is arranged for operation upon the upper in such manner as to produce a frictional drag upon the upper, and to this end additional means are provided to maintain the margin of the upper in engagement with the frictional means. The application of a frictional drag to the margin of the shoe upper, in addition to drafting the upper toward lasted position over the shoe bottom, also tensions the upper about the last so that it conforms to the contour of the last and eliminates any fullness of the upper material on the last.

The means for frictionally engaging the shoe upper comprises, in the preferred construction shown, a-rotating member having a continuous rubbing surface adapted to act upon the margin of the upper, and the means cooperating with the said member for maintaining the upper in position to receive the action of the rubbing surface consists of a finger located adjacent to the rubbing surface and between which and the rubbing surface the upper is disposed. Preferably also, 7

as shown and in accordance with a feature of the invention, the rubbing surface which produces the frictional drag upon the margin of the upper is inclined obliquely, transversely and longitudinally, to the plane of theshoe bottom so that the shoe upper, when subjected to such action, is,in effect, plaited whereby the surplus material occasioned in conforming the upper to the contour of the last may be disposed on the shoe bottom to the best advantage.

An important feature also is to be recognized in a novel combination of means for applying a frictional drag upon the margin of the shoe upper to dispose the margin toward lasted position over the shoe bottom and tension the upper about the last, with cooperating means arranged to lay the margin of the shoe upper into lasted position on the shoe bottom before the tension of the upper is relaxed. As preferably constructed, the upper positioning and tensioning means permits the shoe to be moved into position to be operated upon in such manner that the laying means operate in continuation of the said positioning and drafting means, whereby the upper is subjected to the action of the two means at all times, thus insuring a positive and accurate treatment of the upper as it is worked over on to the shoe bottom.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the means for laying the margin of the positioned upper into lasted position on the shoe bottom also comprises a continuous acting surface located laterally adjacent to the inclined rubbing surface of the machine and so arranged with respect to the lateral surface that it applies a laying action to the margin of the shoe inwardly and downwardly against the shoe bottom. The laying action of this surface is preferably directed at substantially right angles to the edge of the last, and, since the action of the rubbing surface is directed angularly across the margin of the shoe upper, the shoe upper is' The novel improvements in methods of making shoes herein disclosed constitute the subject-matter of a co-pending application Serial No. 214,162 filed Jan. 28, 1918.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating the manner of operation of the machine herein illustrated.

The frame 2 of the machine supports a driving shaft 4 carrying a driving. pulley 6 which is belted to a suitable source of power for rotating the driving shaft 4. Secured on the end of the shaft 4 by means of a washer and nut 8 is a wheel 10, the size of the outer portion of which is such as to enable a considerable area of upper material to be acted upon at one time. The periphery of the wheel 10 preferably presents a continuous acting surface 12 disposed in a plane substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel 10. Formed in continuation of the laying surface 12 on the wheel 10 or laterally adjacent thereto is a rubbing surface 14 having alternate ribs and grooves 16 formed thereon. This surface 14 is located adjacent to the laying surface 12 opposite to the direction of feed of the shoe, and it is so formed on the wheel as to be disposed in a plane at substantially 45 degrees to the laying surface 12 or the axis of rotation of the wheel 10.

The frame 2 of the machine has guideways 17 in which is mounted a sliding block 18 the lower end of which is provided with a depending ear 20 carrying a transversely projecting shoe upper holding finger 22. The sliding block 18 is mounted relatively to the wheel 10 so that the upper holding finger 22 has its end portion located laterally adjacent to the inclined rubbing surface of the wheel. The outer end of the finger 22 is shaped so as to present an upper supporting surface 24 substantially parallel to the inclined surface 14. The sliding block 18 is provided with a vertical hole to receive a compression spring 26 the upper end of which engages a ledge 28 attached to the machine frame.

Normally the spring maintains the finger pressed downwardly away from the inclined surface 14, and the bottom of the finger carrying block 18, or, strictly, the bottom of the ear 20 formed on the block, is shaped to engage the bottom of the shoe. The frame of the machine is provided with an edge gage 30 received in guideways in the machine frame and projecting from the frame horizontally toward the lower portion of the wheel and the finger. The purpose of this edge gage is to position the shoe within the field of operation of the lasting instrumentalities.

In the use of the machine, a shoe is supported in the hand of the workman and successive portions subjected to the action of the lasting instrumentalities. The shoe is first presented to the wheel with the bottom of the shoe uppermost and the margin of the upper disposed between the inclined rubbing surface and the upper supporting finger 22. The wheel is being continuously rotated and the operator presses the shoe against the bottom of the finger carrying support 18 so as to move it upwardly against the action of the spring 26, the finger thereby forcing the margin of the upper into position for it to receive the rubbing action of the surface 14 of the wheel, the amount of force which the operator uses in forcing the shoe against the finger carrying support determining the glegree of force applied by the rubbing surace.

Owing to the relative arrangement of the rubbing surface and the finger, the margin of the shoe upper is disposed toward lasted position over the shoe bottom but somewhat removed so that there is no tendency of the margin of the shoe upper to adhere to the innersole, and, since the wheel is being rotated relatively to the stationary finger, a

frictional drag is exerted upon the margin of the shoe upper. The effectiveness of this frictional drag is increased by the ribs and grooves formed on the rubbing surface 14 and tends to work the upper inwardly over the shoe bottom and thereby tension it about the last. Thus all excess fullness of the upper is worked over on to the shoe bottom and the upper tensioned into conformity with the conformation of the last. son of the rubbing surface being inclined to the axis of rotation of the wheel, the frictional drag applied to the upper is directed in a plane oblique, transversely and longitudinally, to the plane of the shoe bottom. This arrangement is especially advantageous in that it exerts a progressively increasing tension to the margin of the upper from its outer edge inwardly. Moreover, it acts, in effect, to plait the shoe upper sothat it may be disposed to the best advantage upon the shoe bottom. Inasmuch as the upper is pulled about the last and into lasted position over the shoe bottom with a force dependent upon the frictional drag induced between the rubbing surface 14 and the relatively stationary finger under the manipulation of the shoe by the operator, a uniform application of tension may be applied to various portions of the shoe in accordance with the specific conditions; that is, the frictional drag may be more drastic about the toe and heel ends of the shoe, for examplefthan along the sides of the shoe.

Another advantage obtained by the described construction is that the portion of the shoe upper which is to be treated by the rubbing surface is held removed from the surface of the work, thus-eliminating the By readifliculties heretofore experienced in lasting shoes of this type by reason of the margin of the shoe upper becoming adhered to the innersole before it has been properly worked over into lasted position;

As the shoe is fed along, the positioned and tensioned margin of the shoe upper is disposed within the field of action of the layingsurface 12 of the wheel for further treatment thereby. This surface acts to lay the margin of the tensioned upper into lasted position on the shoe bottom, or, in the type of shoe above mentioned, work the margin of the upper into adhesion with the innersole. By reason of the surface 12 being laterally adjacent to the upper positioning and tensioning means, the margin of the upper is acted upon by said surface before the tension of the upper is relaxed, and it will be seen that this result is further secured owing to the oblique plane in which the margin of the upper is treated by the rubbing surface. The surface 12 acts to work the upper in a direction inwardly and downwardly against the innersole with sufficient force to cause it strongly to adhere to the innersole.

It is to be noted that in the use of the machine as above described the entire margin of the shoe upper is subjected to the treatment of the machine, and, conseuently, the surface 12 not onl t 1e portions of the upper which lie flat upon the shoe bottom, but also such portions of the upper which are necessarily pleated in order properly to conform the shoe upper to the last. This is of considerable importance I a I a s inasmuch as 1t eliminates the necessity of a subsequent haiid rolling operation to insure proper adhesion between the margin of the upper and the innersole to prevent later defective vulcanizationand reject shoes. By proper manipulation of the shoe it may be found desirable in some instances to operate at opposite sides of the shoe alternately in order properly to draw the upper about the last and dispose the margin in proper position on the shoe bottom. Also, the action of the surface 12 of the wheel may be used to act upon portions of overlasted upper which were not adequately treated in the usual course. Since the laying surface 12 is substantially parallel to the edge of the shoe and to the plane of the shoe bottom, the

margin of the shoe upper is worked over into lasted position Without any tendency for the shoe upper to be distorted, and proper manipulation of the shoe may be taken advantage of to present the shoe to the machine for the lasting operation to be performed to the best advantage. In the machine illustrated the results just described are due to the fact that the portion 14 of the wheel exerts a frictional dra upon the margin of the ,shoe upper and t a portion acts upon 12 of the heel effects an immediate laying op eration, both of the portions 14 and 12 beinglcontinuously operated.

, aving fully described the invention, What-is claimed as new and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is 1. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means constructed and arranged to exert a frictional drag upon the margin of a shoe upper to tension the upperabout the last, and means for continuously laying the margin of the tensioned upper into lasted position on the shoe bottom be- 3. A machine for working themarginal portion of a shoe upper into lasted position having, in combination, a finger positioned to extend between the shoe bottom and the inturned margin of the upper, means for frictionally drawing said margin on to the finger, and means located adjacent to the tip of the finger to lay said margin of the upper upon the-shoe bottom.

4. A machine for working the marginal portion of a shoe upper into lasted posltion having, in combination, a finger positioned to extend between the shoe bottom and the inturned margin of the upper, means for frictionally drawing said margin onto the finger, the co-acting faces of the finger and,

said means being inclined relatively to the plane of the shoe bottom, and means located adjacent to the tip of the finger to lay said margin of the up er upon the shoe bottom.

5. A machine or working the marginal portion of a shoe upper into lasted position having, in combination, a yieldingly mounted finger positioned to extend between the shoe bottom and the inturned margin of the upper, and continuously movable means located adjacent to the tip-of the finger to lay said margin of the upper upon the shoe bottom.

6. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means to which the .shoe may be presented initially to form ranged to hold the upper margin in engagement with the said working means.

8. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means adapted to engage the margin of a shoe upper, a cooperating member arranged to hold the upper margin in engagement with the said rotating means, and means located adjacent to the said rotating means and the said member constructed and arranged to force the margin into lasted position on the shoe bottom.

9. A machine of the class described having, in combination, two relatively movable members adapted initially to position a portion of the margin' of a shoe upper toward lasted position over the shoe bottom, 'and means constituting a part of one of the said relatively movable members and constructed and arranged to lay an adjacent portion of the margin of the upper into ing, in combination, a member having a continuous rubbing surface adapted to act upon the margin of a shoe upper, means for rotating the said member, a relatively stationary cooperating member constructed and arranged to cause the said rubbing surface of the rotating member to produce a frictional drag upon the margin of the shoe upper to draw the upper about the last.

12. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a member having a continuous rubbing surface adapted to act upon the margin of a shoe upper, means for rotating the said member, a relatively stationary cooperating member for maintaining the margin of the upper in position to receive the action of the rubbing surface,"'and a continuous laying surface formed on the said rotatingmember constructed and arranged to lay the margln of the upper 1nto lasted position on the shoe bottom.

13. A -machine of the class described having, in combination, a rotating member having a continuous rubbing surface disposed in a plane inclined to its axis of rotation, and a relatively stationary member constructed and arranged to cause the said rubbing surface of the rotating member to produce a frictional drag directed angularly across the margin of the shoe upper to draw the upper about the last.

1-l. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a rotating member having a continuous rubbing surface disposed in a plane inclined to its axis of rotation, and a complemental laying surface extending substantially parallel to its axis of rotation, and acooperating member located adjacent to the said inclined surface of the rotating member.

15. A machine of the class described having. in combination, a rotating member having a continuous rubbing surface disposed in a plane inclined to its axis of rotation, and a substantially horizontal complemental laying surface, and means arranged to cause the margin of the upper to be acted upon by the inclined surface to draw the margin toward lasted position over the shoe bottom and by the horizontal surface to lay the margin into lasted position on the, shoe bottom.

16. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, a rotating member having a continuous rubbing surface adapted to act upon the margin of a shoe upper, a relatively stationary cooperating member for maintaining the margin of the upper in position to receive the action of the rubbing surface, and means operating to lay the margin of the upper into lasted position on the shoe bottom.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

E. MARK SULLIVAN, Administrator of Ronald F. McFeeZy, de-

ceased. 

